PERSONNEL

Steve Thomas:
General Manager

Steve established Arts On Tour NZ in 1995 after receiving an ANZAC Fellowship to research arts touring programmes in Australia. He held a previous post as Touring Manager for The Southern Regional Arts Council.

Before that he was the first Director of the Nelson Festival in 1983. Graduated B.Tech.(Hons) in psychology, sociology and economics, from Brunel University, London.

A poet from an early age, Steve has staged numerous solo and collaborative productions such as The Tupperware Party (1982), Pink Bits (1983) and Prime Time TV Live (1987). He is the author of three books and several CD recordings, and he has appeared at many festivals and special events held here in New Zealand and overseas.
He is better known to many as Radio NZ National’s, “Bard of Christchurch”.

Michelle Godfrey-Hawtin

Michelle has worked part-time as the administrator and accounts person for Arts on Tour New Zealand for the past six years.

Michelle’s background is in accounting with over 15 years’ experience working in chartered accounting firms in Christchurch. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her family, cycling, playing tennis and walking.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Steve Lowndes

An Englishman by birth, Steve has lived on Banks Peninsula since 1979. He holds a BA (hons) from Bath Academy of Art (majoring in Visual Communication) and a Post Graduate Diploma in Fine Art from the City Art Institute in Sydney. After a teaching stint in the UK, Steve travelled to Brazil where he taught at the design school in Rio de Janeiro.

Since emigrating to New Zealand, Steve has taken casual art classes at the Akaroa School and worked in commercial art studios. After a 15 year tenure as Director of the Akaroa Museum he became active in local government with his attention focused in the areas of art, heritage and culture.

Drawing and painting remain his greatest passion and he has exhibited frequently at Akaroa’s Powerhouse Gallery and the Little River Gallery.

Felicity Price

Felicity Price ONZM is passionate about the performing arts and making it possible for people everywhere to enjoy them.

Born and bred in Christchurch, Felicity has extensive voluntary governance experience that has included chairing the boards of the Court Theatre, Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, Christchurch Writers Festival and SIDS International. She has been a director of the Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce and in 2009 received the Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) for services to arts and business.

She is a fellow of the Institute of Directors and of the Public Relations Institute of New Zealand. Felicity’s career has included managing her own multi-award-winning communications consultancy, Price Rennie PR, and she is now a strategic communications contractor and consultant.

A graduate of the University of Canterbury (MA Hons), Felicity more recently graduated MA in Creative Writing from Victoria. Felicity has authored eight novels and three works of non-fiction, including the John Britten biography, Dare to Dream.

Stewart Ross

A registered architect, Stewart has run his own practice for the last 30 years. He has maintained an involvement with the Court Theatre (Christchurch’s only professional theatre) as an actor, and also as their architect, – the original theatre having seen many refurbishments and expansions over the years.

He has worked as a consultant to Creative New Zealand, advising community groups planning theatre developments and he is currently working on various theatre projects in the South Island.

Stewart is a trustee on the Christchurch Arts Centre Trust Board.

Richard Arlidge

Richard Arlidge is an art gallery and museum consultant with an extensive knowledge of, and commitment to, the performing arts. He is currently based at Punakaiki on the West Coast of the South Island.

Richard has been involved in the design, development and operation of Aratoi – Wairarapa Museum of Art and History (1998-2002) and the design, development and operation of the Tauranga Art Gallery Toi Tauranga (2003-2009).

Lindon Puffin

Cut from the cloth of the musical troubadour, Lindon Puffin, spends half of his life on the road performing.

Part folk singer, part comedian, he describes himself as fisherman trapped in a musicians body. Someone else described him as the love child of Bruce Springsteen and Chris Knox!

A gifted whistler, pretty decent harmonica player, anarchic story teller and a gutsy songwriter with a voice as big as his heart.

Jimmy Wallace

Is a lawyer from Geraldine, South Canterbury. He has been a member of the Arts Council of New Zealand (Creative NZ).

He has had extensive involvement with community arts, particularly through Arts Access Aotearoa and Arts On Tour NZ, as well as with local groups.

In 2014 he was made a Member of the New Zealand order of Merit for services to arts and conservation.